Portrait of the Jacksons, early 1980s. From left, Jackie, Tito, Michael, Randy, and Marlon Jackson. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Before the Jackson 5 became global superstars, they were a family act with undeniable talent—but no national stage. And as Mason tells it, there was more than one door they could’ve walked through.
“Steel Town had ’em first. Then Chess Records had their chance. But it was Barry Gordy who saw the vision.”
The Jackson 5’s first official release was with Steel Town Records, a small label out of Gary, Indiana. It was there they recorded “Big Boy,” a regional single that gave them their first taste of radio play and studio experience. But Steel Town wasn’t built for mass distribution or national fame.
Then came Chess Records—a powerhouse in blues and R&B, known for Chuck Berry, Etta James, and Muddy Waters. It seemed like a natural step for the group, and they were flown to Chicago to meet with the label’s execs.
“They looked at Michael and said, ‘Cute kid.’ But they didn’t get him. They didn’t see what he was really capable of.”
Mason explains that the Chess team, while legendary in their own right, just didn’t know what to do with a group of pre-teen performers led by a 10-year-old with the swagger of a grown man. But Barry Gordy? He understood it immediately.
“Barry said, ‘We’re not just going to sign them—we’re going to build them into stars.’”
Motown had the tools. The machine. They offered songwriters, vocal coaches, choreographers, wardrobe stylists, and media training—all under one roof. It was more than a label. It was a factory of excellence.
And that factory produced “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “The Love You Save”—chart-toppers that launched the Jackson 5 into orbit.
“Chess could’ve given them an album. Motown gave them a legacy.”
That decision—choosing Detroit over Chicago—didn’t just change the Jacksons’ lives. It reshaped pop culture forever.
